Opinion
Seeing double while swallowing zero
“The work was physical, growing corn, potatoes and soybeans but it wasn’t overwhelming; the Mexican heat was worse. The most difficult part was being away from family.”
Kyle Olson
The trickle-down politics of fear
The sense of danger is less about any single rule or conflict and more about a slow drift toward a generalized cynicism. When that happens, neighborhoods and civic life are weakened.
Oct 5, 2026
Lizzy Larson
Nothing replaces ‘boots on the ground’
Boots-on-the-ground reporting provides the best chance of getting a window into voter concerns and priorities, and an unvarnished view of a candidate.
Oct 1, 2026
Chili Dog and Charlotte
Each year, Monarch Watch sends out more than a quarter of a million tags to citizen scientists with nets and clipboards and optimism. Last year, they posted 52 tagged butterflies recovered in Mexico and 757 spotted somewhere along their journey.
Sep 11, 2026
This column was NOT written by AI
Please join us Sept. 17 for a community conversation on AI + Journalism.
Sep 9, 2026
Tommy Washbush
Regional problems require regional solutions
Pathways to 2050 is a federally required blueprint that will guide transportation investments across Dane County over the next few decades.
Sep 8, 2026
Nick Garcia
Wisconsin's primary was a warning for Democrats
Ankita Bharadwaj, a former Dane County community organizing director with the Wisconsin Democratic Party, says Dems need to start listening to its voters.
Aug 13, 2026
Stories that matter
“For me, the hope was to make a human connection, help the student think creatively, and teach skills that would help not just the current paper, but their future writing as well.”
Aug 13, 2026
It takes a Village, and also a Knight
Village Media, which operates more than 30 digital newsrooms in Ontario, Canada, is expanding into Wisconsin. The company expects to open its Appleton newsroom this fall.
Aug 10, 2026
In the October issue
Wisconsin guv race: high stakes, slow burn
The national spotlight has swung away from the governor’s race in Wisconsin, but cameras could return to Wisconsin closer to Election Day. In the run-up, there’ll be limited opportunity to hear the candidates outline or defend their positions.
The Wisconsin Book Festival turns 25
A happy 25th means a Fall Celebration stuffed with authors and plenty of Wisconsin content. It’s truly a Dairyland jubilee.
Nothing replaces ‘boots on the ground’
Boots-on-the-ground reporting provides the best chance of getting a window into voter concerns and priorities, and an unvarnished view of a candidate.
The power of youth
Madison: The Illustrated History, 1932–1979, is Stu Levitan’s second volume on Madison history.
Behind the Isthmus Cover: October 2026
Cover illustrator Elizabeth Higgins goes cozy and spooky for Halloween.
